The Brief »

By: Justin Kitzes, PhD | Associate Director of AI for Science, Hub for AI and Data Science Leadership

The core mission of the Hub for AI and Data Science Leadership (HAIL) is to coordinate responsible AI and data science activities across Pitt. Within HAIL, the newly forming AI for Science program will focus on providing faculty, staff, and students with resources, tools, and guidance to further scientific discovery across disciplines.

As we begin our work, we’d like to hear from you! If you are interested in sharing information about your group’s needs and challenges surrounding AI and data science, as well as how the University could support your goals, please fill out this very brief three-question survey. Justin Kitzes, Associate Director of AI for Science, will reach out with opportunities for follow-up discussions with everyone who completes the survey.

We look forward to working with you to support Pitt’s research community in the effective and responsible use of AI and data science in driving scientific breakthroughs.

What’s Next »

Welcome to the HAIL/MSCI SSRP Scholars program — meet this year's four HAIL-supported student researchers and their faculty-mentored projects, spanning topics from AI-driven biodiversity monitoring and sustainable hospital operations to generative AI's impact on online knowledge and the computational optimization of energy-responsive building design.

• Nathan Smith
  • Faculty Advisor: John Brigham
  • Project Name: Environmentally Responsive Building Envelopes - Computational Evaluation and Optimization
• Chole Herron
  • Faculty Advisor: Justin Kitzes
  • Project Name: Learning Bird Soundscapes: Gaussian Process Models for Urban Biodiversity Monitoring
• Jiakai Dai
  • Faculty Advisor: Natasa Miskov-Zivanov
  • Project Name: Leveraging Large Language Models to Accelerate Sustainability Analysis in Hospital Operating Rooms
• William Peralta
  • Faculty Advisor: Amin Rahimian
  • Project Name: Sustaining Online Knowledge Commons in the Age of Generative AI

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tue, May 12 — New Pathways AI Features: Messaging and Reporting Assistants 11 a.m. | Virtual training workshop on new AI-powered features in Pitt's Pathways advising/reporting system. Aimed at staff and administrators. Register for New Pathways AI Features via Zoom.

Tue, May 12 — Introduction to Proofig AI: Protecting Image Integrity in Life Sciences Research noon–1p.m. | Virtual library-sponsored workshop introducing an AI tool for detecting image manipulation in scientific publications. Good for researchers in life sciences. Registration Available for Introduction to Proofig AI.

Mon, May 18 — Pitt AI PowerUP Mini Course 9 a.m. | Streaming available

Mon, May 18 — Computational and Systems Biology Seminar Series with Mary Dunlop 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Biomedical Science Tower 3, Room 6014 A research seminar at the intersection of computation and biology — relevant if you're interested in computational modeling and data-driven biology.

Tue, May 19 — Machine Learning for Biomolecular Interactions Across Scales: Navigating Ambiguity from Molecular Properties to Protein Design 10:30 a.m.–noon | Sennott Square, Room 6106 A PhD proposal defense by Yue Wan (Department of Computer Science) on applying machine learning to protein design and biomolecular interactions. Open to the public.

Beyond Pitt »

What We're Noticing—Emerging Trends, Research, and Perspectives Sharing AI and Data Science

• In Nature, Fields medallist Terence Tao on how AI is changing the “job description” of mathematicians. “A graduate student who refuses to touch AI systems and just wants to prove things the way we’ve done in the past might find they have fewer opportunities, unfortunately. Those who understand maths traditionally but are also adept at using new tools can flourish.”
• Are We Having the Wrong Nightmares About AI? NeurIPS keynote from Zeynep Tufekci, Henry G. Bryant Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs at Princeton University. “Historically, a new technology's revolutionary impact comes from making what's already possible and desired cheap, easy, fast, and large-scale.”
• “In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, Pennsylvania’s seven research intensive universities have joined forces with the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and Team Pennsylvania to launch the Keystone AI + Quantum Factory. The Keystone AI + Quantum Factory is a statewide innovation network leveraging AI and quantum computing to translate university research into practical solutions for Pennsylvania's key industries.”

Have articles you want to share with us for next time? Email them to us! 

Spotlights »

• Welcoming the Inaugural Cohort of HAIL Graduate Student Awardees (May 6, 2026): We launched the HAIL Graduate Student Awardees Program exploring responsible AI and data use across disciplines. Read Article
• A Look at the Growth of Pitt's Data Science and AI Forum (May 5, 2026): Discusses the expansion and increasing impact of Pitt’s DataSci+AI Forum across the university and broader community. Read Article
• 2026 Data Science and AI Forum Best Poster Award Winners (May 5, 2026): Highlights award-winning student AI and data science research projects presented at the forum. Read Article
• Putting AI in the Syllabus: Time for a Shared Conversation (April 29, 2026): Explores opportunities for shared institutional guidance around AI use in teaching and course syllabi. Read Article
• Pitt Releases Guidance on AI Program Naming (April 27, 2026): Covers new Office of the Provost guidance on naming conventions for AI-related academic programs at Pitt. Read Article
• Reclaiming the Future: Reflections from the LSET GenAI Co-Design Session (April 27, 2026): Summarizes an interdisciplinary teaching and learning convening around generative AI in education. Read Article
• AI-Powered Research Tools for Life Sciences: Now Being Tested at Pitt (April 23, 2026): Highlights experimental AI-assisted life sciences research tools at Pitt’s Health Sciences Library System. Read Article
• AI Teaching Field Notes: Learning to Trust (But Verify) (April 22, 2026)
  Features practical reflections from Professor Alexandros Labrinidis on using AI in teaching and research. Read Article
• Data Science and AI Forum Day One: Research Poster Showcase (April 3, 2026)
  Showcases student research projects spanning healthcare AI, social media analysis, federated learning, clinical AI, and more. Read Article

Have an article, topic, or event you'd like us to spotlight? Tell us about it!